Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo is taking action to help secure America’s borders — and predictably, the political left is not happy about it.
Last week, Nevada News & Views reported that Gov. Lombardo was authorizing a small group of Nevada National Guard troops to temporarily support U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
This isn’t some massive deployment. We’re talking about roughly 35 Guardsmen out of 4,500 — less than 1% of the entire Nevada Guard.
But you wouldn’t know that from the way Democrats are reacting.
State Sen. Fabian Donate, a Las Vegas Democrat, took to X and declared:
“Fewer than 1% of Nevada’s National Guard agreed to carry out immigration enforcement. The message from our Guardsmen is loud and clear — this order is wildly unpopular and a direct attack on our families, our jobs, and the very people who serve our state.”
That sounds dramatic… but according to Lombardo’s office, it’s just flat-out wrong.
Lombardo’s press team wasted no time setting the record straight.
“This is completely incorrect,” the governor’s office responded on X. “Of about 4,500 Nevada National Guardsmen, about 35 are expected to go on orders in support of this federal request (less than 1 percent of the entire Nevada National Guard).”
They went on to explain that all of those being sent volunteered for the mission. Nobody is being forced to go.
And as Lombardo’s office made clear, the governor has the authority to deploy the National Guard in support of federal or state law enforcement, especially when it comes to stopping criminal activity that crosses international borders:
“Defending the homeland and protecting the United States’ sovereign territory is one of the military’s most fundamental and historic missions.”
While Nevada isn’t on the southern border, illegal immigration has real impacts here.
Law enforcement agencies have reported everything from drug trafficking to human smuggling operations tied to cartels moving through the state.
Local taxpayers also end up footing the bill for public services used by people who are here illegally.
For example, a 2017 study by the Federation for American Immigration Reform estimated that illegal immigration costs Nevada taxpayers over $700 million per year in education, health care, and law enforcement expenses.
Sending a few dozen Guardsmen to support ICE might not solve the entire problem, but it’s a step toward helping federal agents who are overwhelmed.
President Donald Trump has made border security a top priority in his second term, directing states to assist when and where they can.
Lombardo’s decision aligns Nevada with that national effort.
Critics like Donate argue it’s anti-immigrant and harmful to Nevada families.
But supporters see it as common sense — helping enforce the law and protect communities from crime tied to illegal border crossings.
The political fight over this move is nothing new.
During the Trump administration’s first term, sending National Guard troops to the border drew similar outrage from Democrats.
Yet, some Democrat governors have done the same thing when it suited them — just without the political backlash from their own party.
This time, the loudest voices against Lombardo’s decision are ignoring the facts:
- Only 35 Guardsmen are going.
- Every one of them volunteered.
- This is about enforcing the law, not targeting legal immigrants.
The governor’s critics can spin it however they want, but most Nevadans understand that a secure border means safer communities.
As Lombardo’s office said, defending America’s sovereignty isn’t just a political talking point — it’s one of the oldest and most important duties of the military.
And in Nevada, at least 35 Guardsmen are stepping up to do exactly that.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
